Ringkirche

The Ringkirche stands in Wiesbaden, the capital of Hesse. It is a Protestant church built between 1892 and 1894 in the Romanesque Revival style. Johannes Otzen designed the building, which became the first church in Germany to follow the Wiesbadener Programm. This programme ensured every seat had a clear view of the altar, pulpit, organ and choir. The church’s hall is a Zentralbau, a design copied in many Protestant churches until the First World War. The Ringkirche seats 1,100 people and its organ was built by Walcker. Around three-quarters of the organ’s pipes remain intact from the original Romantic disposition. In 1949 the organ was changed to a neo-Baroque style, but it was restored to its original sound between 2015 and 2016. Nearly every one of its 1,800 pipes was repaired or replaced. The church was declared a national monument in 2002 for its unaltered style and uniform appearance. The church sits on Ringstraße between the Westend and Rheingauviertel districts. Its twin towers overlook the crossing with Rheinstraße. The building survived wars without damage and was restored from 2003. It hosts church concerts and serves as a venue for the Rheingau Musik Festival. The interior remains as it was in the 19th century, unchanged by later remodelling.